Unravel
by esprit noir
Summary: House Mihindre enlists the services of Serenity's crew to transport a group of young 'companions in training' to Sihnon. But things never go smooth for Captain Reynolds and there's more to these girls than meets the eye. Update: Chpt 2 ON HOLD, BEING OVE
1. Chapter 1

Summary: House Mihindre enlists the services of Serenity and her crew to transport a group of companions-in-training to Sihnon. But things never go smooth for Captain Reynolds and there is more to these girls than meets the eye.

Author Notes: This fic is not in my usual style – which may or may not be a good thing depending on what you thought of my previous fics if you read them at all (all 2 of them anyway). There is more humour, and less abstract crap and NOT a one-shot. Mandarin phrases are courtesy of the firefly chinese pinyinary. Different 'time periods' are approximate so don't shoot me if they're not 'accurate'. PLEASE REVIEW!

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**UNRAVEL: Chapter 1**

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**Part 1 – Goodbye**

_House Madrassa, Sihnon - 2507_

Crimson and blood red, streaking the sky with heated gold, and bathing the lush forests of the Yin Yue Valley in a warm, throbbing glow, the sun of Sihnon sank slowly into the horizon.

Against the sun soaked woodlands at the valley's edge, stood the dark sprawling edifice of House Madrassa. Though built to signal the majesty and the grandeur of the Guild, like a defiant flare against the wilds of a savage planet, the House seemed to cast it's roots into the very earth on which it was build, and like a shadowy serpent snaking it's way through the dark forest floor, seemed to melt and become wholly apart of the wilderness.

In the East, at a distance, the first flickering of the lights of Sihnon's capital city could be seen, and as soon as the ink of night had swallowed up the sun, the city would be a flood of luminescence, casting the light of civilisation outwards, like a beacon into the unending darkness of the Black.

However, the beauty of this spectacle was totally lost on Inara, whose eyes were blurry with tears. This was not the Inara that would bewitched hordes of men and woman alike, with her calm, power magnificence - but Inara at seventeen summers, a woman in most ways, vibrant and desirable, nearly a fully fledged Companion, but still ruled by her passions and at that moment, completely undone by losing a sister so dear to her heart.

"Oh Nandi…"

"Here, take this mei mei," Nandi, whose auburn hair glowed in the dying light of the day, pushed a small blue pouch into Inara's hand "I have no need for it anymore."

"Nandi, please I beg you," Inara insisted clutching her friend's hands desperately, "Don't go!"

Nandi swallowed the lump in her throat and wiped away the tear running down Inara's cheek with a thumb. She marvelled how, even with her face red from crying, Inara still looked utterly beautiful, "Don't cry mei mei…" Nandi whispered, her heart swelling with guilt, "I hate to do this to you …"

"Please stay Nandi…" Inara still insisted with youthful, hopeful impetuousness glowing in her eyes.

"I can't stay here anymore mei mei," Nandi's voice throbbed with desperation, as if it were being wrung out of her in harsh whisper born of long suffering and her eyes swimming and unfocused, "I'm suffocating.."

"But where will you go?"

"Anywhere!" Nandi declared, her eyes suddenly light with hope. "I'm a free woman now!"

"How can you be so cruel?" comes the reply that shocked Nandi into dropping Inara's hand.

"Mei mei…"

The anger which flared and stiffened Inara's resentment immediately faded and she fell into Nandi's arms with a rustle of golden silk, her resolve to be angry and cold broken.

"How will I do without you?"

"Hush now mei mei…" Nandi pulled the younger girl to her body and embraced her tightly, "We will see each other again I know it…" they part, just as a girl with the skin the colour of honey, arrives, looking on at the parting with emotion in her muted blue eyes.

"Shenyndri…" Inara stepped back to allow the older girl to embrace her friend "Shenyndri how can I ever thank you?"

"Thank me by picking up your bags and bringing them back inside," Shenyndri scolded Nandi fondly. Then her voice softened, "Or at least promise me you'll come back and see us some day soon."

Nandi nodded and smiled at both of her friends "I will...I promise."

But they all know it's not true. The moment Nandi leaves, it'll be as if she never existed. Shunned by those women who she has come to regard as her sisters in spirit; cut loose and drifting without the lifeline of the Guild to pull her back in when she begins to run out of air. The Guild does not look kindly on those who turn their back on it.

"Nandi?" An older woman dressed in a majestic blue robe with her greying blonde hair braided tight and piled up high on her head, appeared behind the three girls, ready to escort Nandi to the cruiser which would take her as far as New Melbourne, "You must leave now."

Nandi flushes, feeling thecoldness emanating from Lady Tan's eyes, "Yes Ma'am..."

As two other girls appeared to take Nandi's bags, Nandi embraced Inara and Shenyndri one last time, "Good bye my friends." And with that, she turned her back on House Madrassa for good and was gone, as if she had never been there at all.

The girls remain there, until Lady Tan returns a few moments later. She passes by Inara and Shenyndri and laying a hand on Inara's, she said very seriously, "You must forget her now. She is nothing to you. Do you understand me?"

Inara feels the chill of Lady Tan's words. As if in the distance, she hears Shenyndri assent to Lady Tan's command. The House Priestess nods and returns to the House, leaving the two girls still standing at the front entrance, taking in the sunset.

"Do you think she'll be alright? Without the protection of the Guild?"

Shenyndri turned to look at Inara who was looking shattered and putting an arm around her she said in a reassuring voice, "Don't worry mei mei…Nandi is the strongest person I know. She won't let anyone rule her. Now come on, stop your sniffling" she added with a smile in her voice, "It makes your complexion dreadfully florid."

* * *

Later, alone, Inara remembered the blue pouch that Nandi put in her reluctant hand. She opened it and impatiently poured the contents out onto her lacquered tea table. The object landed on the table with a sharp metallic 'ping' and Inara gasped, falling back onto her knees and holding her hand to her mouth. 

She picked up Nandi's Guild medallion and felt the tears begin to trickle forth again.

Of all the things for Nandi to give her.

Inara tested the weight of the medallion in her hand and felt the circle of cold against the warmth of her palm. It was the medallion which might have kept Nandi safe from trouble. More than a symbol of what she was, but what she had been apart of, and what it meant to be who she was.

Without this, Inara thought with a sinking heart, Nandi was nothing more than…

A whore…

Inara traced a trembling finger over the etchings in the bronzed ring and wondered how something that caused such a thrill and a feeling of security in her, could feel like a deadweight about Nandi's neck. But then, her mind was taken over again, by a dreadful feeling of her loss and as a sob escaped Inara, she clutched desperately to the medallion, like it was a talisman.

* * *

**Part 2 – The Fallen Shall Speak **

_House Mihindre, Planet Asharya – 2517_

"We have discussed the matter with the Guild and have decided that the most appropriate course of action is to remove the girls from harm's way as soon as we possibly can."

A low whisper from around the room, was the response which greeted Madam Mihindre's announcement. The House Mistress, a woman of forty years, statuesque and powerful, stood before a room of twelve ladies, all pictures of womanly grace and beauty, of different ages and races, but all wearing the same bronze Guild medallion – a symbol of the identical inheritance which they all possessed – the Tradition of the Companion.

"But how are we to do that Mistress?" said one of them, a woman of dark skin and dark hair, with strange green eyes dressed in a jade dress, concern evident in her voice, "If the Guild were to send liners for the girls they would surely be shot down by the rebels! Just like that Alliance ship last week!"

"We have discussed this as well," Madam Mihindre nodded "That is why we are to enlist

the services of various _secure_ freelance transport ships and private carriers. After all, it is much easier for small ships to slip off Asharya without interference. The Guild will organise payment for the passage to Sihnon where we will remain at House Madrassa until it is possible for us to return."

Tomena, one of the senior companions, and Madam Mihindre's second rose and added "If this is organised properly, with the girls being moved out in small groups, a few at the time, we should have them all safe within a week. We will each of us take charge of five or six of the girls."

"But surely," all eyes turned to the woman sitting at the end of the table, she is breath taking in an extravagant manner, dressed in a dress of deep sapphire blue, and burnished gold which seems to glow against the deep honey of her skin – it is the first time she has spoken since the start of the meeting, "Continued Guild presence here would give a show of…trust. The locals are not looking to tear apart House Mihindre. They merely want autonomy…I'm convinced, that leaving so suddenly will give rise to thoughts that the Alliance plans to attack and has warned the House to vacate before the battle begins. We might put the girls left here in danger."

Tomena shook her head "It is a risk we must take Inara. We have no defences here if they were to break through the gates," she smiled mirthlessly; "It will take more than a few bows and arrows to keep them at bay."

"But our duty…to those people here, those innocents who have no place in the fighting. We must stand strong and offer them shelter-"

"Tomena is right Inara," Madam Mihindre nodded looking around the room "You have not been here long enough to know that these places are not like the Central planets. There is savagery here that is…hidden behind silk and propriety. I have seen it, and I will not allow anyone to be exposed to it. My priority is first and foremost the safety of my girls, and of _all_ of you here of House Mihindre."

"Then I will stay," Inara insisted, moved to stand, "I will stay and help those people who have nowhere to run-"

"You will do as I say Inara," Madam Mihindre said sternly, the movement around the table stilled as all eyes waver between the figure of Madam Mihindre and Inara who faced each other down, "You will follow with the rest of us. I shall put you in charge of finding transport. Have you any objections?"

Inara glanced at Madam Mihindre's face and suddenly felt like walking straight out of the House, just like Nandi had done all those years ago.

But then again, Nandi was dead now.

Murdered.

Cold and dead.

Buried in her grave.

Inara took a breath to centre herself and at length lifted her head high and nodded "No objections Mistress. In fact…" she said with a fair amount of foreboding "I may already have someone in mind for the job…"

* * *

**Part 3 – Ain't Quite Right**

_Eavesdown Docks, Planet Persephone – 2517_

"YOU WHAT!" Mal barked explosively, staring down at the little man before him, wearing a hat which Mal suddenly had an itching impulse to shoot off his shiny bald head.

"Wot can I say Mal?" Badger replied, tugging on his lapels with determination, "You woz late…so I gave it to someone else."

Mal glared menacingly at Badger, "I ain't got time to play games with you! Harrow and I had a deal.Six hundred to transport twenty crates of cargo."

"I ain't playin' games Mal. I'm businessman see? And as a businessman, I 'ave a duty to run my business efficient-like. It's not my fault you can't keep your affairs in order. If'n you got a problem, I suggest you take it up wif Harrow 'imself - but 'e probably won't see nuffing wrong with 'aving 'is cargo delivered at 'alf the price and on time. 'Specially since 'e woz the one 'oo gave me the orders in the first place." Badger said smugly.

"Ta ma de hun dan!" Mal swore, "Betrayed us right up the pigu!"

"Yeah well, I dun trust rich folk as a rule…but 'ey, buck up Mal. It'll work out in the end. If'n you be stickin' round a couple of days I'll see if there ain't some wobbly 'eaded dolls you can take to Pacquin a'right…? And if you're extra nice, I might 'ave sumfing else as a treat for you…but only if you be'ave,".

Mal opened his mouth to say something but changed his mind when he realised Badger was no longer paying attention to him. Ignoring Mal's darkling look, Badger craned his neck, as if trying to catch sight of something over Mal's shoulder. "So er…you still carrying passengers these days?"

"Huh?" Mal, looking sceptical frowned deeper, and began to say "Look here Badger-"

"Caw, wot's that smell!"

Mal turned with surprise to see River standing at his side, with a look of mild disgust on her face, "Oh Gawd…" she groaned, her eyes lighting on Badger's smiling mug.

"'Ello there darlin'. I woz 'oping I'd see you again." He said clutching his lapels and practically rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet.

Mal, still stunned at River's sudden change in accent spluttered "Again? What the hell-"

River, ignoring Mal, obliged Badger with a snobbish glance, looking suitably unimpressed, "Sorry? 'Oo are you?"

Badger released a shout of laughter "And she's funny too! I like it…" his grin became something of a 'leer' and his voice lowered which made a few of the crew shudder, and Simon set his teeth, as he said slowly, "I just…_love_ it."

River hardly quirked an eyebrow. Mal on the other hand was more than a little unsettled, he swore colourfully shaking his head with confusion, "What the gorram-"

"Quiet Mal - there's a good man," Badger snapped giving Mal a pointed look, before turning his attention back to River "So er…you be stickin' round for awhile? 'Cos I'd be more than 'appy to show you round Persephone. I got a VIP pass for all the best places, you know wot I mean? Or ah…if you're tastes run more to an intimate dinner for two…I could 'ave a few things to show you there as well…" he said hopefully, winking at River in a way which made Kaylee gag.

"You gotta be kiddin' me!" Jayne muttered, shaking his head with suppressed laughter.

Simon on the other hand was not so amused. Fuming he readied himself to defend his sister, "How dare you, you son of a BI- " But he caught Zoe's warning eye and contented himself with flaring his nostrils.

"Oh please…" River scoffed and rolled her eyes. She turned and said to Mal over her shoulder as she walked away, "I'll be in my room, tell me if anybody interesting shows up."

"Oh – okay! I'll see you la'er then yeah?" Badger called hopefully after River, but his view is obscured by the solid form of the Captain. He gave a low impressed whistle and smiled knowingly, while nudging the Captain with his elbow suggestively, "What a grade-A bird eh?...Fine piece of pi-gu if I ever saw one." He continued warmly.

_Don't_ you talk about my si-" Simon's outburst is roundly stemmed by Wash, who had, with more presence of mind than most would give him credit for, thoughtfully clamped a hand over Simon mouth, before Badger could take any notice of him.

"Yes well, I didn't come here to discuss women Badger," Mal said still reeling from

another episode of 'River the Super Freak', but taking it as a matter of course "What's this about a job?"

"Patience is a virtue Mal," Badger said clicking his tongue with satisfaction, turning and walking down Serenity's ramp with Mal stalking behind him in his wake, "Ain't that wot th'good book says?"

"I was never like to become a Preacher," Mal answered dryly, before he turned to address his crew, "Jayne, stay here with the boat….Zoe come with me." Jayne nodded and passed his gun to Zoe who, still looking menacing followed Mal down the ramp.

"Wait Mal!"

Mal turned as Simon came down the ramp to meet him, "If Badger says anything about River just-"

"Don't worry doctor," Mal said placing a comforting hand on Simon's shoulder, that amused glint that could be seen in his eye less and less these day, returning full force, "we won't let her go for less than three hundred credits."

* * *

"Wash?" Kaylee's muffled voice came from somewhere underneath the console, where she was at present, tinkering away with a certainty born out of natural skill. 

"Yes Pumpkin?" came the cheerful reply, as the pilot handed her a wrench.

"Have you noticed anything…funny about the captain lately?"

"Define funny…" Wash asked raising an eyebrow. He busied himself with configuring the controls as Kaylee went about installing a back up emergency system.

At length, Kaylee put down her wrench and slid out from under the console and wiped her hand across her forehead, leaving a smear of grease there. "It's like…" she bit her lip, as a crease appeared on her brow "He ain't focused. Ever since, " Kaylee lowered her voice even though the Captain wasn't any where around "Ever since _Inara _left, it's like he's going through the motions but…his heart ain't in it."

"His heart ain't in what? The job?"

"Anything!" Kaylee replied almost throwing up her hands in despair "Even crime don't cheer him up none. And you saw how he was with Badger!" Kaylee nodded knowingly eyeing Wash, "A month ago he wouldn't have stood for any mischief from that: ben tian sheng de yi dui rou!"

Wash nodded, but didn't reply for a moment. He scratched his chin and shook his head as if with disbelief, "I have to say…he's more than his usual grim captain-y self. He's actually started _brooding_…"

"And now with Shepherd Book gotten off…" Kaylee sighed angrily "Nothing ain't quite right no more…"

"But now Kaylee, are things really every 'quite right' on Serenity?" Wash said in a voice which made Kaylee frown ever so slightly. As if realising the way he had sounded, he quickly said in a demonstrable lighter tone, "Speakin' of not quite right…that was some creepifying theatricals River put on today –"

Kaylee shuddered at the thought, "I got goosebumps from the way Badger was talking to her. I hope the Cap'n teaches him a lesson! Dirty old man, piece of…" The rest of Kaylee's comment was lost as she slid back under the console.

Wash nodded emphatically "Though, that River is quite surprising little girl ain't she? I thought we'd seen the last of her multiple personalities!"

Kaylee laughed inspite of her agitation, "I think she's just bored," She put down the wrench and took the screwdriver that Wash placed in her hand without having to be asked "Captain hasn't let her out of the boat for two weeks. Though, you can't hardly blame him…Eisler was crawling with purplebellies! Thank God you were so quick with Serenity – or they might've shot a hole in more than just Jayne's leg."

"You know…if we keep going at this rate much longer we're all gonna expire. Not enough food and too many firefights," Wash said conversationally, absently fiddling with his dinosaurs. He looked up to check the time and frowned, "They've been gone awhile now…what is the Captain up to, you think?"

"What he always does," Kaylee said as she slid out again from under the console, with another smear of engine grease streaked across one rosy cheek "Captain-y stuff…"

Wash snorted bitterly "All I know is that Zoe will be right there with him. Calling him 'sir' and all that…he likes that."

Kaylee smiled wryly "I thought you two fought this out already?"

Wash looked down at her and chuckled, "Yeah…I should shut up," he nodded feeling sufficiently chastised, "So anyway, how we doing down there?"

"Well with any luck, next time Serenity's driftin', we won't have to worry about freezing to death or dying by asphyxia. I've put in a back up control from the emergency life support."

"Good work Kaylee, while you're at it, we should go see how the fuses are in the cargo bay. They got seriously fried last time we had a power out."

"Well if the Captain let me get some new synchronisers we wouldn't have this problem in the first place! Gettin' that man to listen is like…getting Jayne to stop touchin' stuff!"

"Well near impossible? Yeah," Wash agreed, tapping at his console screen and marvelling at her work "I like how you directed the 84 into the G-Line…masterful. He stood up and walked towards the stairs leading off the bridge.

"Yeah well…if I can't be pretty, at least I can keep us all from dying. That's better isn't it?" Kaylee asked uncertainly, wiping her hands on her coveralls, as she followed Wash off the bridge and into the cargo bay.

"Definitely," Wash said patting her on the head fondly "But didn't I tell you before that you were pretty?"

"Mal and Zoe send word yet?" Jayne asked as they came out onto the catwalk. He was holding a half-eaten protein bar in one hand, and fingering his gun with the other.

"Not as yet."

"Jayne…do you think I'm pretty?" Kaylee asked thoughtfully, as she fiddled with an errant strand of hair hanging in her eyes.

He stuffed the rest of the bar into his mouth, "If Mal weren't liable to put me in the airlock again, I'd take a run at ya." He replied quite seriously, then putting his gun down, picked up a weight and began to pump his bicep.

Wash started and a choked bark of laughter escaped him, "W-what?"

"When did the Captain put you in the airlock?" Kaylee asked, her eyes widening with surprise and questioning.

Realising his slip, Jayne said dismissively "Figure o' speech girl...long story…"

Kaylee and Wash shared a sceptical look but didn't comment on it further. Getting something out of Jayne that he didn't want to talk about was as easy as convincing the Captain that Reavers were really just poor misunderstood souls.

"I wish I was pretty as River…" Kaylee said conversationally, "She's a real beauty ain't she? She and Simon both. Could've run for Miss Universe if things had been different."

Jayne snorted "I bet the doctor would look a right charmer with his blue sash and a tiara."

"Shen sheng de gao wan" Wash shook his head "…that's all manner of an unsettling thought!"

Kaylee tried to glare at Jayne in Simon's defence but giggled in spite of herself, "Jayne! That's not what I meant. Those two got 'em some finefolk genes."

"Yeah well," Jayne scoffed, evidently unimpressed by Kaylee's referral to the Tams' fine pedigree "…it ain't hard to stay purdy and lily-white when you spend your whole life on the Core."

"_Jayne, we're back."_

The hand held comm. sitting by Jayne crackled as Zoe's voice came through.

"'Sides…" Jayne added as an after thought as he opened Serenity up, "Crazy is up and down like a boy. A man likes a woman with a bit of meat on her bones," he paused long enough to leer suggestively "Gives 'im somethin' to hold on to during, you know?"

"Ugh…" Kaylee groaned, rolling her eyes, just as Mal, followed by Zoe entered the cargo bay, both carrying boxes, "You're disgusting."

"Nice to see things are running normal," Mal said nodding at Kaylee who immediately asked:

"Captain...when did you put Jayne in the airlock?" She was looking at the Captain so she did not notice Jayne blanch suddenly. Zoe raised her eyebrows in interest and waited for the Captain's explanation which did nothing to minimise her surprise.

"Years ago, when you were off visitin' your kin on Blau," Mal replied, without missing a beat, not meeting Kaylee's eyes "Just a bit of a misunderstandin' between men…" Mal settled a steely eye on Jayne who was looking more than a little nervous "Hopefully there'll be no call for any manner of a repeat in the near or distant future."

Jayne rubbed his nose and muttered something darkly under his breath which Mal saw fit to ignore.

He turned to Wash "Is everything alright for lift off?"

"Should be shiny…but er…Kaylee and I were just saying that we will probably need to get a new synchroniser."

"Is the one we got still working?"

Kaylee nodded "Yeah but-"

"Then you'll keep it going," the captain replied roundly much to Kaylee's annoyance, "Wash, get us offworld and set course for Pacquin. I want us flyin' under the radar. Word has it that the cruiser Magellan is prowling the Quadrant right 'round here." Wash gave Kaylee a shrugging apology and left the cargo bay.

"Cap'n! If the synchroniser blows we'll be driftin'. We won't have power!"

"Let's just make sure that doesn't happen alright? What else do I employ ya for?" Mal walked over to the secret storage unit in the wall of the ship and he and Zoe began to load the few boxes they had brought back on with them.

"Wobbly headed dolls eh?" Jayne said with a slight sneer.

"Seems like Badger would have actually taken our offer to barter River for a better job seriously," Zoe said handing the Captain another box, "Other job's lucrative but it means we'd owe him something…"

"Tradin' Crazy for a good payoff…sounds like we'd be gettin' the better end of the deal," Jayne said before he could stop himself.

Mal stiffened and gave Jayne a hard Captain-y glare, "You got something you be wantin' to share with the rest of the group Jayne?"

"Jayne smiled, baring his teeth and picked up the weight again, "Just sayin'… it's gonna be a fair lean month on Serenity since dolls don't exactly turn a profit," he said, his voice dripping with impudence.

Mal glowered "I'll be askin' you again Jayne…you got a problem with this?"

"No Mal…"

"Good, then go tell the Doctor the plan," Mal ordered. Jayne's smile disappeared and he clomped off all the while complaining darkly under his breath.

Kaylee giggled and followed after him, also wanting to see Simon and River, and so it was just Mal and Zoe left. There was a comfortable silence, until Zoe turned to look at Mal which such a way which made him rather nervous.

Mal said slowly, eyeing Zoe innocently, "What?"

"I don't remember Blau…" Zoe said with accusation light in her voice.

Mal shrugged "Really?" he gave Zoe a smile which made her want to slap it right off his face "'Cos I be recalling it perfectly."


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Techno-babble is SOOO not my forte so just play 'make believe the author knows what she's talking about' okay? Thanks – oh, and PLEASE REVIEW!

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**UNRAVEL: Chapter 2**

**

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**

Part 1 – Jaded Diamond Angels

_House Madrassa, Sihnon - 2508_

Inara recalled it perfectly. All her training. Seduction techniques. The Art of Conversation. How to draw a shy gentleman out of his shell. How to tempt even the sternest young man into good humour. It's filling up her head and making her think.

Today was the first event in the long line of events that the House Madrassa organised every year as a way to launch their newest Companions into society. It was absolutely essential that Inara made a good impression, if she was ever to enjoy any real success.

Inara took a breath to calm herself, letting all the last minute tips she recieved from the older girls, absorbed… but it all flew unceremoniously out the window when she reached the front hall.

"Shenyndri…" Inara said nervously "I'm not sure I can do this."

"Oh child, it's perfectly natural for you to be nervous attending your first proper ball. Just relax and enjoy yourself, if anything you don't have to worry about your gown. You look just exquisite!"

"But you'll stay with me won't you Shenyndri?"

"Of course dear," Shenyndri said in a light voice, not meeting Inara's eyes. She fixed Inara's shawl properly on her shoulder "I'll be with you every step of the way. "

The doors are flung open, and as the parade of finely dressed ladies arrive they are greeted with a round of applause.

* * *

Inara felt liable to scream with frustration. No sooner had she turned her back to select a glass of champagne to calm her nerves, Shenyndri had disappeared. Inara later saw her on the dance floor with a very well turned out young man, laughing and flirting, obviously unaware of the turmoil she had thrown her friend into. 

_Friend! Ha! _Inara thought to herself.

She moved herself to a less crowded corner of the room and took a moment to centre herself. She could do this. This is what she had trained for. This was her destiny…

God, she wished Nandi was here.

Inara took another looong sip of champagne in order to push down her heart that was fluttering unpleasantly in the vicinity of her throat. She continued to focus on calming her nerves, but her concentration was interrupted by a pair of arguing male voices from the other side of the embroidered silk room separator behind which she was hiding.

"Come on now Quentin, lighten up will you? It's just a party for God's sake!"

Inara took a seat on one of the chairs nearby and looked carefully between the chinks of the separator. From what she could see, the two men were of similar height and dress, but one distinguishing feature was that the one speaking was lacking a large diamond in his ear that the other was wearing.

The other voice, rather similar to the first one, but very much of a different tone "You said two hours Harry! We've been here for three and a half at least!"

"Stop being so childish!" the first replied evidently at the end of his tether, "Why don't you even try and enjoy yourself? Have a drink! Ask a lady to dance!"

"A lady?" the second scoffed with an attitude which made Inara fume, "That's a funny thing to call _them._"

"Oh don't start with that again Quentin for God's sake! How many times do I have to tell you-"

"There's nothing you can possibly say that will convince that these _women _are anything but what they are."

"The term is Companion Quentin…"

"A whore dressed in silk is still a whore."

Inara felt her blood boil, and it took much of the control she had learnt over the many yearsto keepher from breaking out from her hiding place and slapping the man with the diamond earring right across his face.

"You keep your mouth shut Quentin," the other man snapped sternly,"Besides, didn't you have to talk to Sir Markham? I haven't seen you even bow his direction yet."

"He's _busy," _Quentin sneered, "It's rather hard to talkbusiness with a woman tittering in the background."

"That woman is his personal Companion Quentin. If anyone has sway over Sir Markham it would be her. It would be better for you to be on her good side than her bad side."

The conversation continued on in this fashion for a few minutes, but at length the two men moved off and Inara was able to come out of her hiding place.

"Inara, what on earth are you doing hiding over here!" The voice belonged to Leilani. One of the older Companions, who was about Shenyndri's age. She was a talkative little creature, with blue eyes and sweet blonde curls. She seemed young for her age, but then again, that was part of her charm. Clients, Nandi had told her, loved Leilani for her angelic demeanour. "Madam Mihindre has sent me to show you off. Come out here and meet some people…oh, I do like that colour on you my darling. I was just saying to April that I wish I had been born dark like you because blues never show quite to the advantage on me as they do on you," she suddenly paused seeing Inara's heightened colour "My dear…are you quite alright?"

"Oh! There was this awful man, who was talking about Companions in the most horrible way and I'm absolutely itching to hunt him down and teach him a lesson! Shall I tell you what he said?"

"What?"

"He said, that a whore dressed in silk is still a whore!"

"My God – what a thing to say! Can you see him anywhere? Point him out to me. I shall find someone to throw him out immediately."

Inara's eyes scanned the room quickly. She hadn't really much thought to finding him, after all the ballroom packed with at least a hundred men and woman, all dressed well with jewellery which seemed made just to advertise their wealth. But then a winking of light at the corner of Inara's eye caught her attention. She turned, and her eyes immediately went to a man, standing at the side of the room, his back up against a large column as he stirred his drink slowly and gazed disapprovingly down from the balcony at the dancefloor below him. And of course, the diamond still blinking as the light from the floating chandelier reflected of it's surface.

"There! Over there in the blue suit."

In the light, it could be seen that he his harsh words did not correspond to his looks. Even with a strong jaw and well defined features which seemed built on sturdy lines, there was a strange softness in his face which seemed to warrant admiration. Bu this was quite lost on Inara who was still quite furious.

Leilani followed Inara's line of sight and cringed, "Oh…oh well in that case Inara I'm afraid we'll just have to keep this little secret between ourselves."

"What? What can you mean?"

"That's Quentin Fall Inara…"

"Your point?"

"Don't be dense child," Leilani snapped, losing her angelic demeanour with a jaded roll of her eyes, "His name is Fall…as in Warrick Fall…" seeing Inara didn't understand she sighed and said pointedly, "as in the son of House Madrassa's best patron." Leilani gave a mirthless little chortle, "There's no chance of us getting him out without being thrown out ourselves!"

"You can't be serious!" Inara erupted, hissing angrily.

"Deadly…my dear," Leilani replied with staccato diction, letting the weight of her words sink in, "I think the comment you heard was actually one of his more temperate remarks. You would do best to forget it."

"Comment! I call it slander against the Guild! How he could possibly justify-"

"I don't think he'll care to justify anything my dear," Leilani rolled her eyes, before saying in quite a different tone: "He hates Companions you know! He thinks what we do is degrading."

"Wh…" Inara blinked with astonishment "He _hates _Companions!"

"Quentin is a notoriously joyless young man of…rather strict puritan morals. Something to do with being brought up by his very 'traditional' great Aunt. If you knew his father," by Leilani's voice Inara could tell she did know Quentin's father, "you would not believe he would produce a son like that. Quentin simply doesn't respect the Companion Tradition."

"How dare he! It is not for him to judge!" Inara said flaring with anger.

Leilani laughed a little, finding great amusement in Inara's naivety, "Oh, he certainly dares! He's infamous for turning down and offending all the most beautiful Companions! You know of Lilia Rochester?"

"Dang ran" Inara said raising her eyebrows.

"Well, he flat out refused to dance with her."

Inara gasped "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. It was quite a scandal. Lilia Rochester, the most desired woman in the 'verse and he says that he's too tired to dance with her, even though he was seen five minutes later taking the floor with Lady Belinda Massette!"

"Why does he come to the ball if it is thrown by the very people whom he despises!" Inara could feel her face flushing, she had never met with anyone who could despise her for being what she was and the experience was not at all pleasant.

"Because _everyone_ who is _anyone_ comes to House Madrassa for the Festival," Leilani said rather broadly "Quentin's making a career for himself in politics so he, like many others use this week to make connections. Also, the Falls are 'new money' you know, so they take the pains to cement their standing in society. And is it ever a pain for Quentin Fall. He has made it clear on many occasions his disapproval of the close relationship between the Guild and the Alliance Government."

"Then why is he even admitted into the House!"

"Because his father is one of the richest men on Sihnon Inara," Leilani replied heavily, "The Guild is unforgiving to those who choose to leave or stay outside it's guilded walls, but it is anything by ungenerous to those, whose 'contributions' keep us cloaked in finery."

"I've never heard of such madness," Inara muttered, "The Guild upholds more nobility than running after funds from a greasy-!"

"Inara hush," Leilani said sharply "Watch your tongue or I promise you you'll never work as a Companion if the wrong person overhears you."

Inara bits her lip looking conscious but still boiling with anger, "It makes no sense to me. What about that time Lord Deron threw Yolanda's tea pot at her. The shard merely scratched her face and he was thrown out of the House and black listed inside of twenty minutes!"

"Oh my dear girl, you have no idea!" Leilani said almost overcome with the thought, "Lord Deron is small fry compared to the Falls. Do you know Quentin's mother has connections in almost every important Alliance sector of the Core? Not to mention Quentin is fabulously wealthy in his own right. His Great Aunt left her vast fortune completely to him."

"Having _buckets _of money doesn't make up for his utter lack of breeding!"

Leilani lowered her voice, which suddenly had a lilt of amusement to it "If Madam Madrassa ever thought he would _stoop" _she uttered this word with a great deal of sarcasm,_ "_to contracting with a companion she'd do anything short of licking his boots to please him" .

"Things are not how they used to be Inara. You know there's talk of a war…people like us have no place in a such a world at war. We need every support we can get, because if something does happen we'll need more than excellent tea pouring skills and prettily carved bows and arrows to protect ourselves."

"Merciful Buddha – " a thought crossed Inara's mind which made the corners of her mouth quirk, "perhaps he is not _so _inclined to female…er…company?"

"Oh, I don't think there's any chance of that," Leilani's smiling archly, "He's had some rather public affairs with many women. He hasn't got a reputation for being a libertine but by all accounts, his ladies are always of the highest calibre. Not always beautiful but cultured and educated, from the very best families and of the utmost 'suitability' in terms of well…you know," Leilani's head bobbed knowingly, "I'm inclined to believe his dislike of women extends to Companions alone. But in any case, there must be _something_good about him…"

"Iwon't believe it! No _civilised_ person would be unable to delineate a Companion from a common whore!" Inara almost scoffed, if ladies in her positions were allowed to scoff, "He must be verystupid."

"Maybe he was just born under the wrong stars," Leilani replied much more subdued than before.

"Well I intend to teach him a lesson…"

Leilani did not think much of this comment but replied, "I imagine if someone were able to tempt him from his foul temper, they would instantly live in infamy as the Woman who brought down the Quentin Citadel!" She crowed loudly, properly amused for the first time that night.

Inara laugh weakly along with Leilani but for a very different reason. She took a long sip of her remaining champagne and decided at that moment, she and her new friend 'infamy' will deal rather well together.

* * *

**Part 2 – The Tears Behind Her Veil **

_House Mihindre, Planet Asharya – 2517_

"Mr Foo, you cannot back out of our arrangement now. I hope I will see you within the next two days," Inara said in her most imperative voice as she faced downCaptain Foo of the ShipAlecto,on the vid screen, who was at the moment refusing to cooperate.

On a second thought, Inara had decided that she would not put the call to Mal and Serenity's crew. Firstly, it was questionable as to whether the Guild would label Serenity as being a 'secure' freelance transport ship. After all, there was a great difference in shifting a few boxes of medical supplies and making accommodation for six or seven young girls, all of which had very protective, not to mention powerful parents. A mistake made with the former could be rectified. A mistake made with the latter, would be catastrophic.

Not to mention River and Simon. The girls lived relatively sheltered lives in the Training House, and were much too busy learning to become artists to scan the cortex looking for warrants on wanted fugitives but it was better not to tempt fate. It was these reasons that Inara told herself, were hers for not seeing the crew again. But there was more…there was always more – Inara admitted with annoyance, she still hated complications.

The truth was, she found that when the time came to send the wave, she couldn't bear to think of seeing him again, remembering the way in which they had parted. Thinking Nandi, made her realise she had made the right decision time and time again. She remembered the pain, and the tears streaming down her face, as she cried in the corner of a dusty room of a whore house like a hopeless child and she cringed.

The shame. The foolishness.

A Companion never broke down like that. Their emotions were reined in from the very first lesson. Control. Control had been their first lesson. And though it pained her to admit it, it had only taken that look in Mal's eyes to pull it all to pieces. He had torn away the veil she wore over her soul and exposed her tears. That's why she had left. She knew she could no longer be around someone who could do that to her.

Because Inara had decided long ago she would never make that mistake again.

Nandi had not been wrong when she said that Inara hated complications. And with Mal…things were always complicated.

However, it seemed the universe was conspiring against her, as it brought her many more complications in the form of uncooperative private carrier captains.

"You can hope all you want Miss Serra…" replied the young man, rugged, and rather more weather beaten than one would have expected in a man who owned a private carrier who was used to transport various state officials and their families on a regular basis. His voice had a deep, genteel quality to it, quite contrary to the scar running down his right cheek, "But I won't be arriving any time soon. I've been warned by a very close friend of mine that tells me that only a fool would touch down on a planet soon to be overrun with fighting."

Inara couldn't help but think that perhaps Mal was the type of fool she could always have counted on. But she threw the thought aside like a hot piece of metal on her tender hand. Instead, she drew herself together and though her face remained quite passive, her words became barbed.

"You can assure me Mr Foo that Madam Mihindre will be informed of this. I suggest you start looking for an alternative type of occupation as I'm highly doubting you'll be serving the Guild or any of it's associated bodies any time soon." Inara threatened, with uncharacteristic menace.

Mr Foo smiled, nodding as if he were impressed "Miss Serra…you _almost _convince me to do just that. But I'm afraid…" he shrugged apologetically.

"You think I'm bluffing Mr Foo?"

"No Miss Serra…I don't think you'd ever bluff," he bowed his head, seeing her effrontery at his archess, "I'd never presume…"

Inara nodded, "You seem like a sensible man Mr Foo. Surely you can arrange something…I assure you, money is not obstacle."

"If money were enough to pay my crew's way out of death, I'd be there in a flash Miss Serra," he says with candour, "I'm sorry for your troubles and I won't waste your time any longer."

The vid beeped and went blank. Inara hissed with annoyance and began to scribble a very strongly worded letter to a Guild member with which she was very familiar, pressing harder than was necessary. When the pen spluttered, Inara realised the foolishness of her actions and threw the pen away in disgust.

"As if a letter would be of any good!" she growled screwing the paper up and throwing it behind her. It was then that Inara was suddenly struck with the futility of what she was doing. Her scattered papers around her desk, seemed like the biggest problem at the moment, and far from entertaining a state official in her rooms, here she was more intent on setting her stationary neatly.

Again she was missing her life of a few months ago. Moving around the Universe, meeting people, seeing worlds that she might never have done, being on Serenity and sharing in the highs and lows of the crew.

At first, after she left, Inara had revelled in being amongst the people with whom she had spent so many years of her life, and with whom she shared an understanding of a different level. Her students were dear girls, but as soon as her life began to grow duller, Inara realised that her world had grown smaller as well. She had seen the world, and been forced to dwell in a tiny portion of it. Again she was reminded of Nandi the day she left.

_I can't stay here anymore mei mei…I'm suffocating._

A deep reverie came over Inara as her mood turned to pensive. Once she had thought her life would forever just be tea ceremonies and dancing with fans and here she was doing what her father had always wanted her to do, pushing papers like some accountant.

"Ai ya!" she yelped as she got a nasty paper cut. She sucked on it and grumbled "This is unbearable."

Suddenly there is a loud boom from outside. Inara, stunned, rushed to her window to was shocked to see plumes of smoke rising from somewhere beyond the valley "Merciful Buddha," she whispered horrifed, "It's begun…"

The door suddenly swung open to reveal Tomena, looking harassed and panting for sudden exertion, "Oh thank goodness…" the lady sighed closing her eyes with relief and then opening them again "one of the girls told me you had gone for a walk and she hadn't seen you come back yet."

"What's going on?" Inara asked, going to her Sister and taking her hand.

"There hasn't been any report but we think it was in the vicinity of the Embassy…Madam Mihindre has ordered everyone to stay indoors…" Tomena continued to pant, as Inara helped her to sit, "I ran all the way from the East Courtyard when I heard…" she gulped and shook her head as if to shake her agitation off without success, "Is everything going to plan?"

Inara paused for a fleeting second, and forced a reassuring smile onto her face "Don't panic Tomena…there will be three ships arriving in the next two days. We'll have everyone safe soon."

"Oh Inara, I knew I could count on you," Tomena said gratefully, "Do you need some help with anything? I'd be happy to stay behind-"

"No of course Tomena, you should leave to organise things when the first of the girls arrive," Inara patted the older lady on the shoulder "I have it under control."

"Of course you do…"

Inara took a seat beside Tomena and as she poured out some tea she asked "Have we heard anything…have there been any casualties?"

"A few," Tomena replied taking Inara's offered cup of tea with real gratitude, "but nothing the hospital cannot handle."

Inara's silence, moved Tomena to look at her. She placed her cup on the table and placed a warm, motherly hand over Inara's "Do not be scared Inara."

"I'm not afraid Tomena," Inara replied, trying to keep the disgust out of her voice, "I just cannot believe we are leaving these people to their fate."

"All death is fated Inara. When our time comes there is nothing we can do to stop it. To escape it, is to go against the natural order…"

"Please Tomena, the last thing I need is a philosophy lesson," Inara said recklessly, "You cannot say that to die at the hands of an Alliance soldier with a gun is _natural_?"

Tomena sighed and standing up she said in a voice which signalled the end of the discussion, "I had better go now."

Inara went to shut the door behind Tomena and found that she was trembling. After all her bravado, much to her distaste, Inara realises she's thankful for being tucked safely away in this house. And, for the second time in the space of four months, Inara felt like sobbing her heart out.

* * *

**Part 3 – Driftin'**

_Departure: Eavesdown Docks, Planet Persephone – 2517_

As soon as Serenity was secure and closed up, the crew scattered to their various stations around the ship leaving Mal alone.

He sighed contentedly hearing the whirr on the engine and feeling the slight vibration of Serenity under his feet just before take off. There is a jolt of the landing legs being stowed and a slight whoosh as Serenity lifted off the ground and became airborne.

"How are we Wash?" Mal stepped onto the bridge, where Zoe was also present, standing behind her husband, with one loving hand on his shoulder.

"All's shiny Captain, we'll be clear of atmo in five minutes. Then it's just a nice quiet…if somewhat lengthy journey to Pacquin."

"Good, good." Mal nodded, moving to exit the bridge, "I'll leave you to it now."

"Sir?"

Mal turned to Zoe.

"Zoe?"

"Are you sure this is…wise sir?" Zoe asks, her face, usually so passive and unreadable, now written over with concern which only Mal could discern.

"We have to stay clear of Magellan until we're out of the Quadrant Zoe," his tone lightened and he smiled, "Anyway I like a leisurely journey…"

"But Kaylee still hasn't had a chance to fix the engine right yet. Do you want to risk something happening…like…last time."

Wash's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, and he felt Zoe's squeeze on his shoulder.

"There ain't a problem Zoe, Kaylee assured me we're running like a well oiled machine…"

* * *

"God this is such a piece of go-se!" Simon started as Kaylee's vehement lament came through the doorway of the mess, where he and River were sitting. It was followed shortly by the appearance of Kaylee herself who was brandishing something technical and important looking, with angry intent, "Have you seen the Captain?"

"He's probably with Wash on the bridge…what's the problem?" Simon was more feeling rather unsettled seeing Kaylee in such a fit, she was after all, usually such a cheerful person.

"The problem is that I'm gonna wrapthe Captain'ssuspenders 'round his throat and throttle him is what!"

"If sufficient force is applied to the windpipe a person can be rendered incapacitated within five seconds." River's supplied smiling wanly at Kaylee. Simon frowned.

"Good!" Kaylee said nodding emphatically, "Gives me just enough time to wring an apology out of him!" she growled, "If he'd just given me the time to get that new synchroniser we wouldn't be in trouble!"

"Oh God," Simon said standing up, "It's not the life support again is it?"

"No, no," Kaylee said assuring Simon with a comforting hand, "It ain't nothing dire like that. But – CAPTAIN!"

Mal paused in the doorway of the mess, looking like a deer caught in the headlights, "Kaylee?"

"You see this?"

"Yes…"

"Do you know what it is?"

Mal squinted at the long white cylinder, and after a moment of careful consideration said,

"Of course…not."

Kaylee groaned, just as Jayne appeared behind the Captain, jostling him in the door way and pushing Mal unwillingly towards an angry Kaylee.

"This is a blown synchronizer which is exactly what I told ya would happen if we didn't get a new one! Now we're only running with one, and if that one goes – we don't."

"Gorram it Mal!" Jayne barked, he turned to Kaylee "We gonna die?"

"No," Kaylee said before Mal could reply "Lucky for you, me and Wash put in an emergency life support which means we'll keep breathing…but we'll be drifting."

Mal groaned and sat down in the chair "How long do you think the other one will hold out?"

"Not long, maybe a week? Not long enough to get to Pacquin in any case."

"Alright…alright…" Mal paced up and down the mess hall for a second before turning to the comm and calling for Zoe and Wash to get into the bridge. When everyone was assembled:

"Where can we be that's within a week's flyin' distance?"

"A week?" Wash grimaced, "I don't know…I think Asharya is kinda close." He said off the top of his head, bringing up their position on the console and maps of the surrounding planets, "We're off the radar remember? Far from any major stopovers…" but Wash's comments went unnoticed.

All eyes had turned to Mal, whose mouth had pursed into a tense thin line. After all, everyone knew exactly what – or more specifically _who_was on Asharya.

"Although…" Wash said wincing as he read the posted warnings "Alliance just touched down last week to clean out a band of rebels…the place will be crawling with them. I guess…maybe Diehl, but we're not going to get much in the way of parts out there…oh wait, there…" he brought the image onto a large screen and pointed it out to all the crew "This is us, this is Pegis," he pointed to a small blue planet at the side of the screen, "It's about a three day journey and we should be able to take a few days rest."

All eyes turned to the Captain as he nodded "Good, set course for Pegis Wash…" Mal had to confess, he was surprised. Usually things didn't go this well for him. It seemed like their luck was beginning to turn. Mal didn't even think of Inara…no…he wasn't thinking of Inara…and the way she smelled…no…NO!

Suddenly realising that everyone was looking at him with concern and questioning in their eyes, Mal snapped "Well? What y'all gawkin at? All of you, go do something constructive…"

Everyone was so busy talking and doing things that no one noticed River, standing at the corner of the room laughing creepily to herself "You ain't gonna get away that easily."

* * *

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